Theories Of Development

Question 1

Definition

Answer 1

• change over time
• follows orderly pattern
• greater complexity and enhances survival

Question 2

Domains

Answer 2

Physical

• brain development
• perception abilities

Cognitive

• thought processes
• language
• intellectual ability

Social/emotional

• self regulation
• interpersonal skills

Growth in one domain promotes growth in the others

Question 3

Psychoanalytic Theories

Answer 3

• foucus on formation of personality

- move through stages by confronting conflict between biological drive and social expectation

Question 4

Psychosexual Theory

Freud

Answer 4

Based on therapy with troubled adults

Personality formed based on how parent deals with sexual and aggressive drives

5 stages

• oral (0-1, dependent)
• anal (1-3, overclean)
• phallic (3-5, pride)
• latency (5/6 to puberty)
• genital (puberty on)

Question 5

Psychosocial Theory

Erikson

Answer 5

Expanded Freud

Development life long

At each stage attitude/skill gained from successful negotiation

8 stages

• trusts Vs mistrust (0-2)
• integrity Vs despair (late adult)

Question 6

Behavioural and Social Learning Theory

Answer 6

Importance of environment and nurture

Behaviourism

• response to psychoanalytic
• dominant 1920s to 1960s

Watson

• classical conditioning
• passive beings that can be modelled by controlling stimuli/ response

Skinner

• operational conditioning
• learning can be broken down into smaller tasks and immediately rewarded to promote future learning

Bandra - Social Learning Theory

• learn by observing and imitation
• gradually become more selective
• bobo doll experiment

Question 7

Biological Theory

Answer 7

Hereditary and innate biological process govern growth

Maturation theory

• Hall and Gesell
• predetermined biological timetable
• proponents of normative approach (use age related averages of growth and behave to define normal)

Question 8

Cognitive Development Theory

Piaget

Answer 8

Construct understanding through active involvement and interaction

Studied own children

Described understanding as schemas and how children use assimilation and accomodation

4 stages

• sensorimotor (0-2) sense and motor skill to understand
• preoperation (2-7) use mental representation of objects, symbolic thought and language
• concrete operations (7-11) use logical operations when problem solving
• formal operations (12 up) use logical operations in a systematic fashion

Question 9

Socio Cultural Theory

Answer 9

Children active learners but knowledge socially constructed

Cultural customs and values dictate what is important to learn

Learn from more expert members of society

“Zone of proximal development” where learning occurs

Question 10

System theory

Answer 10

Development can’t be explained by one concept, rather a complex system

Ecological Systems Theory - Brofenbrenner

• varied systems and their interrelationships shape child’s development
• both environment and biology
• environment effects child and child effects environment
• microsystems - activity and interactions in immediate surroundings
• meso - relationship between entities in micro
• exo - social institutions that effect indirectly ( parents work place rules)
• macro - broader cultural values, laws and government resources
• chrono - changes during life, personal and cultural

Question 11

Ethological theory

Answer 11

Behaviour determined by need for survival

Roots in Darwin

Harlow

• attachment in monkey
• contradicts behavioural
• want comfortable(innate to cling for support)

Lorenz

• imprinting suggests attachment innate
• critical period

bowlby
- attachment can ensure survival